Customer Charge: A monthly fixed charge that recovers the cost of metering, meter reading and preparing and mailing your bill. The Customer Charge does not change when your electric use increases or decreases.
Distribution Charge: The charge that recovers the cost of delivering electricity through Unitil's distribution system to your premises. These charges are the operating an maintenance costs and the investment made to the distribution system. Also included in this charge are bad debt expenses and costs to provide low-income programs and expanded energy efficiency initiatives.
Transition Charge: The charge that recovers "deregulation" costs including stranded investments in generating plants and power contracts.
Transmission Charge: The charge that recovers the cost of transmitting bulk power over high voltage power lines from the generation source to Unitil's distribution system.
Energy Efficiency Charge: A state-mandated charge that provides funds to Unitil to provide energy efficiency programs for all customers.
Renewable Resource Charge: A state-mandated charge that provides funds to the State for research and development of environmentally-clean power sources such as solar, wind, biomass and hydro.
Supplier Service Charge: All Unitil electric customers have the option to purchase electricity supply from competitive suppliers. If you do not choose another supplier, you will continue to receive your electricity supply from Unitil's Basic Service. This charge recovers the cost of electricity supply purchased for use and also includes administrative costs and energy supply-related bad debt costs.
Farm Credit: Customers who qualify as persons or corporations engaged in the business of agriculture or farming, as defined pursuant to section 1A of Chapter 128 of the General Laws, shall receive a credit of ten percent from the otherwise applicable rates. The credit shall be based on full Delivery Service rates plus the Basic Service rate, if applicable. The credit will be recalculated as required to maintain the ten percent discount from the Delivery Service rates plus the Basic Service rates as in effect from time to time.
Terms of Payment: The Charges for service under this Schedule are net, billed monthly and payable upon presentation of bill.
For business customers: Interest charges will be added from the date of the original bill if current charges for electricity are not paid and received by the Company or its agents within twenty-five (25) days. Interest charges shall be calculated at an annual rate of interest which is the equivalent of the rate paid on two-year United States Treasury notes for the preceding 12 months ending December 31 of any year, plus 10 percent, i.e. 1000 basis points, in accordance with 220 CMR 26.00. The monthly interest charge is also added to accounts until all arrears have been paid.
Typical Rate Change Dates
Distribution Charge - January 1
Transmission Charge - January 1
Energy Efficiency Charge - January 1
Renewable Resource Charge - January 1
Transition Charge - January 1
Basic Service Charges (Fixed) - June 1 and December 1
Basic Service Charges (Variable) - Monthly
Additional Information
If you have any questions about our charges, please contact our Customer Service Department by calling toll-free at 888-301-7700. Questions may also be addressed to the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) at 617-737-2836 or toll-free at 877-886-5066.
Customer Charge: A monthly fixed charge that recovers the cost of metering, meter reading and preparing and mailing your bill. The Customer Charge does not change when your electric use increases or decreases.
Delivery Charge: This charge covers the costs of delivering electricity to you, including transmission costs and costs of providing and maintaining an electric system (poles, wires, transformers and substations) which is capable of serving your needs.
Demand Charge (for Business customers only): The charge that recovers certain costs which vary with the demand for, or the rate at which, general service customers consume electricity. Electric demand is expressed in kilowatts (kW) or in kilovoltamperes (kVA).
System Benefits Charge: The charge that covers the costs associated with the statewide low-income electric assistance program and energy efficiency programs provided by the Company.
Electricity Consumption Tax: A state-mandated tax on energy consumption which is collected by all electric utilities on behalf of the State.
Stranded Cost Charge: This charge covers the costs associated with purchased power contract obligations that existed prior to restructuring.
Energy Service Charge: This charge covers the cost of power supplied to you by Unitil. This service is available to customers that return to Unitil for their energy supply after receiving energy supply service from a Competitive Supplier.
Terms of Payment: The charges for service under these rates are net, billed monthly and due in 25 days following the date postmarked on the bill. Amounts not paid prior to the due date shall be subject to a late payment charge of one percent (1%) per month on the unpaid balance.
Typical Rate Change Dates
Delivery Charge - August 1
Stranded Cost Charge - August 1
Fixed Energy Service Charge - May 1 and November 1
Variable Energy Service Charge - Monthly
Additional Information
If you have any questions about our rates, please contact our Customer Service Department on-line or by calling toll-free at 800-582-7276 (Seacoast region) or 800-852-3339 (Capital region). Complete copies of the rate schedules, including all terms and conditions, are available on request.
